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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25075819">Large Weight to Handle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirror_Face/pseuds/Mirror_Face'>Mirror_Face</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, vent - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:14:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25075819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirror_Face/pseuds/Mirror_Face</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They were always there for each other, no matter how much the world fell apart around them.</p><p>There would always be a large weight there, resting on their shoulders- but they had each other, so it was all okay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harukawa Maki &amp; Momota Kaito &amp; Saihara Shuichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Large Weight to Handle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I would like to thank Sun (sunflower_8) for giving me some pointers, the fic probably wouldn't have turned out this way if it wasn't for you.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shuichi wasn’t leaving his room, that much was clear. That much was worrying. And so, since Shuichi refused to speak or open his door, Maki and Kaito did the best thing they could think of doing and camped outside his door. Waiting for him to let them in.</p><p> </p><p>When they were sure Shuichi couldn’t hear them, they whispered their worries to one another.</p><p> </p><p>“He knows he can always talk to us, right? We’ve always been open, and I’ve told him that-”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Kaito, I know. I’m sure Shuichi does too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then why? I-I’m always willing to help, y’know? “</p><p> </p><p>“I just said that I do.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry. I just… I want him to talk to us.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll have to wait until he wants to too.”</p><p> </p><p>“He needs to eat. And drink.”</p><p> </p><p>“So we’ll make sure he does.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>And that was how the next few days went. They both took days off of work and just sat and sat and sat in eternal silence. Or that’s what it seemed like it would be, until Shuichi finally started to speak.</p><p> </p><p>“I-I just…” His voice was muffled through the door, and his words just seemed so watery and small, like the letters could slip through Kaito’s fingers just as soon as he’d try to grasp them. All barely tangible. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”</p><p> </p><p>Instantly, they were up and standing.</p><p> </p><p>There was a silence. They didn’t know what to do- Kaito glanced at Maki, but she just kept staring at the doorway, straight ahead. Her fingers rolled into fists (not too tight though) and she took only one foot forward. </p><p> </p><p>“Then let us in.” She said softly.</p><p> </p><p>There was only silence. Did he not hear her though the door, the slim piece of wood that shielded them from the reality of their friend’s crying face. It wasn’t fair how much one slab of wood could do.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, the door to Shuichi’s room was pushed open with a creak. Somehow, Shuichi had heard.</p><p> </p><p>Maki and Kaito stepped through the doorway together, trying not to glance at each other. Trying not to distract themselves with the rest of Shuichi’s room.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito looked at the bed, where Shuichi sat, crumbled in a heap, so solemn and sad and-</p><p> </p><p>He was crying. Although that wasn’t much of a surprise.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito walked closer, and he knew that Maki was watching his back- the heat of her eyes starting to burn.</p><p> </p><p>He sat himself on the edge of Shuichi’s bed, wrapping his arm around his friend’s shoulder, and pulling him into a hug. Kaito felt tears stain his jacket- that was fine.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Kaito asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I guess I just woke up one day, thinking ‘I’m dead weight, aren’t I’ and the idea’s stuck ever since. So, yeah, fine, I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>Kaito heard the bed creak, felt it dip as Maki sat on the other side of Shuichi. She didn’t say anything, and yet her being there was enough.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re fine.” Kaito said, “You’re okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“No. I’m not. I’m never okay and that’s the problem.”</p><p> </p><p>“But it’s not a problem, it-“</p><p> </p><p>But Maki interrupted him, “Are you saying that if someone else had some sort of problem, then they’re dead weight?”</p><p> </p><p>“N-no! Of course not!”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly- so stop thinking that you somehow don’t apply to that.”</p><p> </p><p>“But I’m different, <em> I’m not supposed to hav-” </em></p><p> </p><p>“Shut up, Shuichi. You apply to the criteria, so let yourself be fucking sad for stupid reasons once in a while. Like this, just let yourself be sad about the fact that you’re sad all the time.”</p><p> </p><p>“But-”</p><p> </p><p>“And you know what crying friends need? Support!” Kaito finally cut in, “So, do you want us to stay here with you? Or wait outside the room until you’re ready?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um…”</p><p> </p><p>“We won’t be offended, we can take it!”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I’m fine with you guys being here.”</p><p> </p><p>And so, they sat in silence for a while- Maki sitting on the floor as she leaned on the bed’s frame, and Kaito and Shuichi just sitting together. Occasionally, Shuichi would tear up, but that was all fine.</p><p> </p><p>Everything was fine.</p><hr/><p>Maki’s apartment door was locked, Shuichi noted. He gave Kaito a look and Kaito flashed him a nervous grin, knocking on the door.</p><p> </p><p>They were greeted by complete silence, not even the sound of floor boards creaking. If they knew any better, they would’ve thought that it was empty.</p><p> </p><p>“Now what do we do?” Shuichi asked Kaito, “Maki’s never given us her key…”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry! We’ll figure it out.”</p><p> </p><p>Shuichi tried to feel confident about it. It was a day full of wind and frost, and hiding behind his scarf didn’t seem to stop the cold from creeping up his neck. It was worth it though.</p><p> </p><p>And so, Shuichi watched as Kaito continuously knocked and waited and knocked again.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, Shuichi said, “Will you please open the door?” It wasn’t as strong as he had wanted it to be.</p><p> </p><p>Surprisingly enough, Maki answered.</p><p> </p><p>“You guys are going to die.” Her voice was soft from behind the door. She sounded surprisingly small. Maki never sounded small, she was never afraid of- “I’m an idiot for not realising it sooner.”</p><p> </p><p>Shuichi didn’t know what to do, he wasn’t the comforter. That wasn’t- he was so bad at speaking in general, he couldn’t make a tactful response to that. What was he supposed to say?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Shuichi didn’t know what to do. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It seemed like he didn’t have to though, because Kaito was the one who spoke up, “We’re not dead!”</p><p> </p><p>“You will be though.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not planning on letting any of you guys die anytime soon.”</p><p> </p><p><em> “That’s not how it works, Kaito. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>And, Shuichi couldn’t help but think, wasn’t that true? Wasn’t that just one unbelievably sad fact of life? If they had never existed, they wouldn’t have had anything to lose- but if they hadn’t existed, then they wouldn’t have gained anything.</p><p> </p><p>Reward and then risk. What a cycle.</p><p> </p><p>“Well I don’t care if that’s not how it works! We’re not going to die, so let us in!” He paused, heaving, though he hadn’t done anything too straining yet. “Please…”</p><p> </p><p>Maki didn’t comply, instead ignoring his demand- musing to herself out loud, “I wonder if I’ll be the one to kill you…”</p><p> </p><p>Finally, Shuichi found his voice, “You’re not going to kill us, Maki.”</p><p> </p><p>“But what if I do.”</p><p> </p><p>“What ifs are stupid!” Kaito cut in, “You should always live in the moment, not the future.”</p><p> </p><p>“Whatever you say.”</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t open the door.</p><p> </p><p>Shuichi shrugged and sat down, leaning against Maki’s door. Kaito did the same, sighing.</p><p> </p><p>“Man, my throat is burning.”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you shouldn’t have yelled too much?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s the best way to get through to her.”</p><p> </p><p>It was silent for a moment, before Shuichi said, “Heh, I kind of feel like deadweight here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, you’re not, Shuichi. You’re a good friend, and Maki needs that right now.”</p><p> </p><p>So, they sat, leaning on Maki’s door- feeling the icy winds brush against their veins- waiting for it to finally open.</p><p> </p><p>It was then that they could finally be there.</p><hr/><p>They weren’t allowed inside Kaito’s hospital room. They had asked multiple times- though it was mostly Shuichi who did it, because he didn’t send death glares at the receptionists everytime they weren’t allowed to go through. But, after a while, they were too exhausted to carry on trying. They knew what the answer would be anyways.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck.” Maki said, as she sat on a waiting room chair, arms wrapped around her chair.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t be too angry, they’re just doing their job.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I know.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Shuichi sighed, “Are you okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“He never told us.”</p><p> </p><p>“I knew.”</p><p> </p><p>“I did too. It was so fucking obvious.”</p><p> </p><p>“He didn’t want us to worry.”</p><p> </p><p>“What right does he have to decide what I should worry about and what I should not.”</p><p> </p><p>“...I was there when they were taking him to the hospital… He apologized.”</p><p> </p><p>“He better have.”</p><p> </p><p>“He loves us.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course the idiot does.”</p><p> </p><p>“...”</p><p> </p><p>They stayed there, waiting for hours and hours (they were Kaito’s emergency contacts, but they were <em> only friends </em> and that wasn’t enough for the staff). Hoping that maybe they could see him soon. That perhaps the world wasn’t that bad.</p><p> </p><p>“You better not die.” She whispered out loud to herself. Shuichi heard, but he didn’t say anything.</p><p> </p><p>Maki didn’t cry (she wasn’t a crier, she never was, and never would be), but she was sure that Shuichi did- she could hear the whining of his clogged throat and she could see the wet stains on his grey shirt. She didn’t say anything.</p><p> </p><p>And soon enough, Shuichi had fallen asleep next to her, curled up on his chair. It looked very uncomfortable. Maki noticed how his fingers clenched his hat tightly, which he had taken off to sleep more comfortably. His back would probably ache in the morning, but what wouldn’t?</p><p> </p><p>Kaito wouldn’t want her to be so pessimistic, would he? She shut her mouth before she could break into some sort of hysterical laughter. </p><p> </p><p>Unlike Shuichi, she couldn’t sleep- not in the hospital. She wished she could.</p><p> </p><p>Maki gripped the arm of her chair tightly, and tried to imagine that it was Kaito’s hand instead. </p><p> </p><p>They would get through this, that always seemed to be the case.</p><p> </p><p>(She was lucky that the world gave her time to hope so dearly.)</p>
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